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Jacques Kallis vs Glenn Mcgrath

Who was the better test cricketer?

  • Total voters
    43
Sunil1z

Sunil1z

International Regular
McGrath might not make WI ATXI because him and Ambrose were nearly same type of bowler .
How many ATXI , Kallis might not make ?
 
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subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
Coronis said:
His role wasn’t to win matches with the ball, but he did on occasion. His role was to support the rest of the SA bowling unit, which I think he did an admirable job of through his career.

An example of him (imo) winning a match with his bowling would be at Leeds in 2003. Kirsten got MOTM for a first innings 130. Kallis took 3/38 in the first (sending England from 1/169 to 4/197) and 6/54 in the second (sending England from 5/169 to 9/206). In both innings he broke the largest partnership and took the wickets of the two highest runscorers.

Not comparing him to other allrounders since thats not this thread.. but compared to McGrath he could win matches with his batting, and make sizeable contributions consistently with both his bowling and fielding. McGrath could only win matches with his bowling (more than Kallis’ batting obviously) but was really a non factor as a batsman and fielder. Kallis could affect the game in more ways and overall is a more unique and valuable player in my opinion.
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Yeah so I am asking if 1.5 wickets a match and 10 overs an innings of decent support bowling over a long career is enough to give a great batsman an edge over arguably the greatest pacer ever.

I dunno, I don't think so. I think his bowling contribution is overplayed. If I am captain, I would pick McGrath on the team sheet first.

And McGrath was a great outfielder.
 
BazBall21

BazBall21

International Captain
McGrath. Kallis’ bowling was useful but he wasn’t an all-rounder. He took 60 wickets in 47 Tests across seven of the nine countries he toured during his career. McGrath is objectively a top 5 bowler of all time. Arguably top 3. Arguably top 1. Kallis is an ATG bat but comfortably behind McGrath the bowler.
 
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peterhrt

U19 Vice-Captain
Would it be more appropriate to compare Kallis with other batting all-rounders? Even setting a low bar of 100 wickets, there have probably been only half a dozen of these in Test cricket, where batting has been their stronger suit: Sobers, Greig, Shastri, Hooper, Kallis and Stokes.

Most would place Sobers first. He has the highest batting average and best ratio of wickets per Test. But Kallis's overall numbers are way clear of the others.

Shastri and Hooper both average under forty with the bat and over forty with the ball. Kallis averages 55 and 32 respectively.

Adding Greig and Stokes to the equation, Kallis has more Test hundreds (and more ODI hundreds) than the other four put together. He also has more Test wickets (and ODI wickets) than any of them. And 200 Test catches - of his rivals only Sobers and Hooper reach the 100 mark.

It was said that Kallis was something of reluctant bowler, and his wickets per Test are below those of the more active Sobers, Greig and Stokes who always wanted to be in the game. But his average is comparable to theirs.

Kallis is also the only one within this group who usually batted in the top four.
 
Coronis

Coronis

International Coach
Sunil1z said:
And who is the 1st change ?
Please don’t drop Ambrose. There isn’t much difference between McGrath and Ambrose in bowling style .
Are you having Marshall as 1st change?
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Imagine facing the unrelenting line and length of McGrath and Ambrose… you think you get a break and Marshall walks in.
 
shortpitched713

shortpitched713

International Captain
If I had to build a team, and I had to pick only one, I'd pick Kallis.

But I also think that McGrath is the most important cricketer of the modern era. He was the most key feature of Australia's persistent dominance in his time. So somehow I find it weird to consider picking against someone as superlative as him, and only because... all-rounder versatility? Something feels off about it.
 
S

subshakerz

Hall of Fame Member
shortpitched713 said:
If I had to build a team, and I had to pick only one, I'd pick Kallis.

But I also think that McGrath is the most important cricketer of the modern era. He was the most key feature of Australia's persistent dominance in his time. So somehow I find it weird to consider picking against someone as superlative as him, and only because... all-rounder versatility? Something feels off about it.
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This is my point. The all-rounder points on paper seem more valuable but in reality McGraths excellence is.
 
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